Atlanta, Georgia – We are shaking things up this year at Dad’s Garage and rolling out a brand-new concept for our annual fundraiser: The Dad’s Garage Big Stupid Parking Lot Carnival! After 15 years of “BaconFest,” we’ve decided to move towards an event that is more environmentally sustainable, more affordable for our patrons, and that lets us focus on doing what we do best: providing a one-of-a-kind festival experience where patrons interact directly with improvisers in booths and games.

Dad’s Garage Big Stupid Parking Lot Carnival is one part festival, one part theatrical weirdness you’ll only find at Dad’s Garage. In addition to plenty of beer, rides, and delicious food, our improvisers will be manning booths like “Hobo Wine Tasting,” “Wheelchair Obstacle Course,” “Bad Caricatures,” and the always-popular “Flip Cup Tournament.”

This event is a fundraiser for Dad’s Garage Theatre, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We produce over 300 scripted and improv comedy shows every year, and our annual fundraiser helps support our bottom line so we can keep the lights on and the laughter flowing. The fun and magic of improv comedy steps off the stage and into our festival, and guests of the Dad’s Garage Big Stupid Parking Lot Carnival will get the chance to experience our brand of comedy in a completely new way.

Why are we changing our festival theme?

-We want to focus on what we do best: transforming people through laughter. BaconFest was never about the bacon—it was about the experiences we created for our guests. Our improviser-led booths (like Wheelchair Obstacle Course, Karen’s Kompliments, and Dr. Boobies MD) have always been the centerpiece of the event — the bacon was just a snack in between the experiences. By moving away from bacon, we can focus more on the artist booths and other fun attractions like the petting zoo and rides.

-We want to be more sustainable. The bacon we served was not the best… to put it nicely. We looked into upgrading our bacon to a more sustainable, organic option; however, we couldn’t do that without raising the ticket price for the event substantially. By stepping away from the bacon, we are making a more eco-conscious festival.

-We want a lower ticket price for the event, so more people can attend. Procuring and cooking a (literal) ton of bacon was a massive expense, and we always saw a huge amount of food waste comprised of uneaten bacon at the end of the day. By removing the bacon expense, we will be able to offer tickets at a lower price for our guests. BaconFest tickets started at $45; our Carnival tickets start at $10.

-We want more food options for our guests. So many people told us that they don’t eat bacon, and that was a reason they would not come to the festival. We will be bringing in more food vendors this year, so folks can choose exactly what they want to eat.